1 Give a beautiful print even more significance by doing a whole room in it, from the walls to the upholstery. This technique can work wonderfully in a child's room, where you can hand-paint items like drawer knobs or bedposts to coordinate with the pattern, and decorate furnishings with wallpaper details.

2 It's easy to add interest to a neutral room using pattern. The trick to maintaining a restful decor is to make sure that you keep your palette neutral and use just a few simple patterns balanced with one or two solid fabrics.

3 Make a bold statement in a room by upholstering furnishings in colourful solids. This is also an effective way to show off their nice curves and lines. For an elegant look, choose two complementary colours and play with textured fabrics like velvet, faux suede and leather, and introduce pattern with small accessories. Keep the backdrop of the room neutral so the furnishings command attention.

4 A small space like a hallway is a wonderful place to experiment with pattern. And you don't need to do much, either: hang a wallpaper in a classic pattern like a stripe or lay a simple, colourful floor tile underfoot.

5 Layering is key to successfully mixing patterns and colours. Limit yourself to three or four patterns with one colour tying them together. For example, if you pick a predominantly red pattern for a chair or sofa, make sure to incorporate red as an accent in the other patterns or solids on drapes, throw cushions, a rug or even artwork in a room.

Image courtesy of Pottery Barn.